Villagers losing sleep over new houses plan for Shropshire

Up to 226 homes could be built in Tibberton, near Newport, over the next 17 years according to Telford & Wrekin Council's blueprint for future development. The village currently only has 201 houses.

Consultation has now begun on the council's Shaping Places document, which earmarks 80 sites for 8,000 new homes across the borough.

Councillor Eric Ashcroft, chairman of Tibberton and Cherrington Parish Council, said worried villagers were losing sleep over the proposals.

He said: "This would increase the size of Tibberton by more than 100 per cent. That's not including applications which we've already got for another 60 houses.

"It's worrying people to death. I've been getting phone calls from people who are losing sleep over this.

"It's totally barmy and driven by politics.

"We have seen some growth in the village over the years and newcomers have been absorbed and welcomed - but what we're facing here is of a totally different order.

"It would be the end of the village as we know it."

The Shaping Places plans include 116 houses on new sites within the village, 37 houses opposite Tibberton Shop, 48 houses across two sites at Sutherland Farm and 25 houses at the corner of Back Lane.

Councillor Ashcroft said the infrastructure of Tibberton was not sufficient to deal with such a large increase.

He said: "The infrastructure is totally inadequate for anything other than a very minor increase in population.

"The roads are mostly single track, narrow and crumbling.

"There are children who walk to school and the additional traffic would be a recipe for disaster.

"There are already children who have to travel to Newport because there are no places at the school in Tibberton.

"Where will all the additional children go?"

Councillor Ashcroft's comments come after Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard accused Telford & Wrekin Council of being "out of touch with reality".

He said the number of new houses proposed for Tibberton was "totally unacceptable".

The council says that it has a target of 20,000 new homes by 2031.

Councillor Charles Smith, cabinet member for housing and development, said: "There are 11,885 homes with planning permission, so about 8,000 are needed to meet the target.

"We need to ensure that Telford is an attractive place to live, work and play in and attractive to tourists too.

"This blueprint shows how we are going to do all of these things."

Meanwhile in Newport, where more than 1,000 new houses have already been given the go-ahead, the Shaping Places plan highlights potential for 184 houses around Beechfields Way and 90 houses in Chartley.

Consultation on the proposed sites continues until 5pm on June 17.